Length adjusting mechanism for watchbands

ABSTRACT

A LENGTH ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR A FLEXIBLE NON-EXPANSIBLE WATCHBAND LENGTH IN WHICH A HOUSING CARRYING AN END CONNECTOR HAS AN OPEN END, FOR RECEIVING THE END OF THE LENGTH, AND BOTTOM EDGE FLANGES, EACH OF WHICH HAS A RECESS ITS LENGTH. A LOCKING PLATE HAS SPACED TONGUES ADAPTED SELECTIVELY TO ENGAGE IN PAIRS OF NOTCHES SPACED ALONG THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BAND ADJACENT THE END. THE PLATE AND BAND END ARE SLIPPED INTO THE HOUSING UNTIL RESILIENT LUGS ON THE PLATE RIDE INTO THE HOUSING FLANGE RECESSES SECURELY TO HOLD THE LENGTH TO THE HOUSING.

Jan. 26, 1971 s. HAUSER LENGTH ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR WATCHBANDS Filed oct, 31. 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fi m lu l w? QN N. v wm m m A N w g .Q wmg om wm v 3 1 N V fix sm vom Q mm. mu N Mn Q ZNVENTOE Seymour Hauser 5 Y H TTOPNEYS Jan. 26, 1971 s. HAUSER LENGTH ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR WATCHBANDS Filed Oct. 31, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [Mm/e Seymour HUI/5K7 av HTTORNEYS ,ww ja -MW United States Patent $557,412 LENGTH ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR WATCI-IBANDS Seymour Hauser, North Bergen, N.J., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Kriesler Manufacturing Corporation,

North Bergen, N.J., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 31, 1968, Ser. No. 772,156 Int. Cl. A44c 5/18 U.S. C]. 24-73 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Watchbands and bracelets of the expansible type are provided with means for adjusting the band to the size of the wearers wrist in the relaxed condition of the band by the provision of removablelinks. Watchbands of a flexible but non-expansible material cannot readily be adjusted to the length of the wearers wrist by disassambling andremoving elements of the band. Moreover, in

order that a band of the flexible but non-expansible type.

be able to be placed on and removed from the wrist of the wearer, two halves of the band are provided with interengageable connecting elements. In one form of connector used on bands of this type, the end of one half carries a buckle provided with a tongue which selectively engages in one of a plurality of spaced holes in the other band half to permit the band to accommodate a wide range of wrist sizes. Others of the connecting mechanisms, such as snap clasps and the like, employed on bands of this type do not permit of the accommodation of a range of wrist sizes. Owing to that fact, the band must initially be made very close to the exact size of the wearers wrist. Moreover, after this initial adjustment, usually no further adjustment can be made to accommodate changesv either in the size of the wearers wrist or in the length of the band owing to expansion and contraction of the material of the band.

. I have invented a. length adjusting mechanism which is especially adapted for use with a watchband or the like of the flexible non-expansible type. My connector completely conceals the raw end of the band resulting from the initial length adjustment or from manufacture. My length adjusting mechanism affords a wide range of initial adjustments of band length. It permits a range of adjustments even after theinitialadjustment. It permits the. same connector to be used with a number of different bands withoutdestroying or defacing the material either of the band or of the connector.

"SUMMARY OF TI-I E INVENTION One object of my invention is to provide a length adjusting mechanism which is especially adapted for use with a watchband of the flexible non-expansible type.

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range of length adjustments after the initial length adjustment.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a length adjusting mechanism for a watchband which permits the same connector to be used with a number of bands.

Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the following description.

In general my invention contemplates the provision of a length adjusting mechanism for a watchband of the flexible non-expansible type in which the locking plate has a pair of tongues along an edge which are adapted selectively to engage in pairs of spaced grooves adjacent the end of the band half to be applied to a connector element. A housing carrying the connector element has an open end into which the band half end and locking plate are slid until resilient lugs on the plate engage in recesses provided in bottom flanges on the housing carrying the connector.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings which form part of the instant specification and which are to be read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a flexible non-expansible watchband provided with my length adjusting mechanism.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the watchband shown in FIG. 1 taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1 and drawn on an enlarged scale.

FIG. 3 is a partially exploded fragmentary view of the underside of the watchband shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrating the details of construction of the band.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, I have shown a Watchband, indicated generally by the reference character 10, of the flexible but non-expansible type comprising band halves 12 and 14, each of which is formed of a suitable flexible but non-expansible band material. By way of example, the band halves may be a metallic mesh of limited flexibility suflicient to permit it to accommodate the curvature of the wrist of the wearer, It will readily be appreciated that the band halves 12 and 14 may be made of any other suitable flexible but non-expansible material.

The means for joining the ends of the band lengths 12 and 14,includes a first end connector assembly, indicated generally by the reference character 16, including a housing having a top 18, sides 20 and 22 and bottom flanges 24 and 26 extending partially along the length of the housing and having respective recesses 28 and 30 therealong. I provide the top 18 of the housing with an opening 32 through which a part of the clasp mechanism, to be described hereinafter, is accessible.

Housing 18 carries a latch pin 34 extending between the walls 20 and 22. My means for adjustably securing the end of the length 14 in position Within the housing of the assembly 16 includes a locking plate 36 provided with a stop flange 38 against which the end of the length 14 may abut. I form the edge of the plate 36 remote the stop flange 38 with a pair of spaced tongues 40. These Another object of my invention is to provide a length adjusting mechanism for a watchband which provides a tongues 40 selectively engage pairs of slots 42, which pairs are spaced along the band length 14 on the underside thereof adjacent the end which is to be received by the housing of assembly 16.

I form respective resilient tabs 44 and 46 in the plate 36 for engagement in the recesses 28 and 30 in the flanges 24 and 26. With the band length 14 cut to a size appropriate to the intended wearers wrist, the plate 36 is assembled on the band end with its tongues 40 engaged in a pair of the slots 42 in the underside of the length 14.

band can be changed by This subassembly then can be slipped into the housing of assembly 16 by pushing down on the tabs 44 and 46, releasing them and permitting them to ride into the recesses 28 and 30.

The other end connector assembly, indicated generally by the reference character 48, for use on the end of the band length 12 includes a housing having a top 50, sides 52 and 54 and respective bottom flanges 56 and 58 extending along the length of the sides for a predetermined distance and having respective recesses 60 and 62 formed therein. An opening 63 in the top 50 permits access to the parts of the clasp mechanism to be described.

Sides 52 and 54 of the housing 48 support a pivot pin 64 which carries the clasp hook 66, which hook has side walls 68 formed with latch pin-receiving slots 70. The side walls 68 of the hook 66 carry a pivot pin 72 on the other side of the slots 70 from the pin 64. Pivot pin 72 supports a keeper plate 74 which is adapted to swing I provide the assembly 48 with a locking plate '86 which a is substantially identical with the locking plate 36 associated with end 14. This locking plate has a stop flange 88 along one edge thereof and respective spaced tongues 90 along the other edge thereof. The tongues 90 selectively engage in respective pairs of slots 92 formed in the underside of the length 12 adjacent the end of the band for adjustment of the length of the band half 12 in a manner to be described. I provide the locking plate 86 with respective bent-out tabs 94 and 96 which ride into recesses 60 and 62 as the band half 12 is assembled with the housing 48.

In use of my length adjusting mechanism for watchbands, the band, which initially is formed to a size which will accommodate the largest wrist which may be encountered, is measured to the wrist of the person who is to use the band to determine how much material should be removed from the end of each of the band halves 12 and 14. When that has been done, a portion of the end of each half is cut or otherwise removed to size the band to the wearers wrist. When that has been done, each of the locking plates 36 and 86 is assembled on a respective band half with the tongues 40 in engagement with a selected pair of the grooves 42 and 92 and these subassemblies are slipped into the housings of the respective end connector assemblies 16 and 48 until the respective pairs of lugs 44 and 46 and 94 and 96 ride into the pairs of recesses 28 and and 60 and 62. The band is now ready for use.

In use of the thus assembled band, as is known in the art, with the clasp separated, pin 34 is moved over the keeper plate 74 and the safety catch 78 and into the hook recess 70 of the hook 66. Next, the keeper plate 74 is moved down over pin 34 and snapped under the bosses 76. Finally, the safety catch 78 is moved down over the keeper plate until the hook 82 snaps over pin 64. I have illustrated this relative position of the parts in broken lines in FIG. 2. The band is now securely held on the wearers wrist.

It may be desirable following the initial adjustment of the size of the band to make it either longer or shorter.

In order to achieve this result, the pairs of lugs 44 and 46 and 94 and 96 are pressed inwardly and the band halves and locking plates are slid outwardly under the pairs of bottom flanges 24 and 26 and 56 and 58 until the ends of the lengths 12 and 14 are free. Now the length of the 4 moving the pairs of tongues 40 and into engagement with different pairs of the grooves 42 and 92. After that has been done, the ends and locking plates are re-assembled in the housings of the respective end connector assemblies 16 and 48.

It will be seen that I have accomplished the objects of my invention. I have provided a length adjusting mechanism which is especially adapted for use with a watchband of the flexible non-expansible type. My mechanism affords a wide range of initial length adjustments. It provides a rangeof length adjustments even after the initial length adjustment has been made. My mechanism permits the same connector to be used with a number of different bands. It completely conceals the raw edges of the band lengths at the connector ends thereof.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of my claims. It is further obvious that various changes may be made in details within the scope of my claims without departing from the spirit of my invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the specific details shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a watchband assembly, a first length of band forming material having an end, a first connector member adapted to receive said end of said first length, a locking element, first interengageable means on said element and on said first length, said first interengageable means being adjustable along said first length second readily releasable isnap-locking interengageable means on said element and on said first connector member for securing said element in said first member to lock said first band length to said first member, a second" length of band forming material having an end, a second connector member secured to said end of said secondlength, and third interengageable means on said first and second connector members for joining said ends.

2. In a watchband assembly as in claim 1, in which said member is a housing for receiving said element and said end.

3. In a watchband assembly as in claim 1, in which said first interengageable means comprises a groove in one of said first length and said element and a tongue on the other of said first length and said element for engaging said groove.

4. In a watchband assembly as in claim 1 in which said first interengageable means comprises a pair of transversely spaced grooves in one of said element and said first length and a pair of correspondingly spaced tongues on the other of said elements and said first length.

5. In a watchband assembly as in claim 1 in which said first interengageable means comprise a plurality of pairs of transversely spaced openings in the underside of said first length, said pairs being spaced along said first length and a pair of transversely spaced tongues on said element for selectively engaging the Openings of one of said pairs.

6. In a watchband assembly as in claim 1 in which said second interengageable means comprises a recess in said first connector member and a lug on said element for engaging in said recess.

7. In a watchband assembly a first length of band forming material having an end, a housing adapted to receive said end of said first length, said housing having a top, sides and a bottom portion, a locking plate adapted to slide from a position out of said housing to a position within said housing, first interengageable means on said first length and'on said plate for resisting relative movement therebetween, second interengageable means on said plate and on said housing for releasably retaining said plate and said first length end in position within said housing, a second length of band forming material having an'end, a connector member secured to said end of said second length, and third interengageable means on said housing and said connector member for joining said ends.

8. In a watchband assembly as in claim 7 in which said first interengageable means comprises a groove in said first length and a tongue on one end of said plate and in which said second interengageable means comprises a recess in said housing and a lug on said plate for engaging in said recess.

9. In a watchband assembly as in claim 7 in which said first interengageable means includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced grooves in the underside of said first length and a tongue on an end of said plate for selectively engaging one of said grooves.

10. In a watchband assembly as in claim 7 in which said first interengageable means comprises a plurality of longitudinally spaced pairs of transversely spaced grooves in the underside of said first length and a pair of correspondingly transversely spaced tongues for engaging the grooves of said pairs.

11. In a watchband assembly as in claim 7 including a guide flange extending out of the plane of said plate.

12. In a Watchband assembly a length of band forming material having an end, there being a plurality of longitudinally spaced pairs of transversely spaced grooves in the underside of said length adjacent said end, a locking plate having a pair of transversely spaced tongues at an end thereof for selectively engaging the grooves of a pair with said plate lying under said band, a housing carrying a connector element, said housing having a top and sides and there being a bottom portion, a recess in said bottom portion, said housing adapted slidably to receive said plate and said end with said plate adjacent said bottom portion and a resilient lug on said plate for engaging in said recess.

13. In a watchband assembly as in claim 12 including a second recess in said housing and a second resilient lug on said plate for engaging said second recess.

References Cited DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 24230, 241, 265 

